Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2026: Publishing with an International Spirit

From April 13 to 16, 2026, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair returns for its 63rd edition. Once again, Bologna is set to become the beating heart of international publishing, hosting three major events at the same time.

Alongside the Bologna Children’s Book Fair—now a global benchmark for children’s publishing—there will also be BolognaBookPlus (BBPlus), dedicated to general publishing, and the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/Kids), a key space for licensing related to brands and properties for younger audiences.These three events, held concurrently, create an unmissable professional hub for rights exchange across publishing, licensing, illustration, and audiovisual media. A global crossroads where creativity meets the market, reinforcing Bologna’s role as a world capital of illustration and children’s publishing.

Organized with the support of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), the fair aims to foster international publishing opportunities. Among its key initiatives is a large-scale invitation program that brings over 150 professionals from around the world to Bologna, strengthening the dialogue between national and global publishing industries.The 2026 edition is also marked by major cultural anniversaries: the 200th anniversary of Carlo Collodi’s birth, the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s death, and the 100th anniversary of Mitsumasa Anno’s birth. In this blend of tradition and innovation, Bologna once again becomes not just a meeting place, but a space for imagining the future of children’s publishing and beyond

Illustrators Exhibition: 60 Years of Excellence and Authority

One of the most significant milestones this year is the 60th anniversary of the Illustrators Exhibition, reaffirming its status as one of the most authoritative platforms for international illustration. Established in 1967 to highlight artistic talent before a global publishing audience, it has grown into a key reference point—launching emerging voices while celebrating established careers.

This year’s figures highlight its global reach: 4,168 illustrators applied, submitting over 20,800 artworks from 96 countries and regions. This diversity is reflected in the richness of styles and perspectives selected by an international jury of industry professionals. As tradition dictates, the selected works will be featured in the Illustrators Annual, the official catalogue published in multiple languages and distributed worldwide. To mark the anniversary, the 2026 edition includes special content, such as an insert by Paola Vassalli and an exclusive interview with Australian illustrator Shaun Tan, offering further insight into contemporary illustration.

After the fair, the exhibition will embark on its international tour, traveling over the next two years to major cultural venues in Asia, starting with Japan, Korea, and China.

What if?: Norway’s Exhibition as Guest of Honour

Norway is the Guest of Honour for 2026, bringing a rich program of exhibitions, talks, and workshops across both the fairgrounds and the city.

At the heart of this presence is the exhibition What if?, showcasing contemporary Norwegian illustration through the work of 49 artists selected by an international jury chaired by Øyvind Torseter. The exhibition offers a dynamic overview of Norway’s creative scene, emphasizing its expressive freedom and the central role of visual storytelling in children’s publishing. Alongside it, Grafill—the Norwegian organization for visual communication—presents a selection of titles awarded in the 2025 editions of Most Beautiful Books and Most Beautiful Illustrated Books. A total of 52 books are on display, providing a comprehensive look at the country’s excellence in design and illustration.

The Norwegian program is completed by a series of talks and meetings with authors and illustrators, highlighting a creative culture rooted in imagination, freedom, and a deep respect for young audiences.

Fairy Tales, Reading, and Rights: Key Themes of the 2026 Edition

Following last year’s focus on sustainability, the 2026 edition turns its attention to the universal value of fairy tales and folk stories, also at the center of a special category of the BolognaRagazzi Awards.

Developed in collaboration with UN Publications, this theme explores how traditional narratives continue to serve as a shared language across cultures and as powerful tools for interpreting human experience—especially in uncertain times, when they offer both refuge and new ways of understanding reality.

Another major focus is the promotion of reading among younger generations. An international conference will bring together institutions and experts to discuss policies and best practices aimed at countering the global decline in readership. The program also includes initiatives dedicated to children’s rights, such as a collective reading of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in an adapted version for young audiences, performed in multiple languages. These are complemented by discussions exploring the very definition of “childhood” through the perspectives of international authors and illustrators.

Pinocchio Between Tradition and New Visions: The “Eccellenze Italiane” Exhibition

Among the most anticipated events is the exhibition celebrating the 200th anniversary of Carlo Collodi’s birth: Eccellenze Italiane. I Vestiti Nuovi di Pinocchio. Hosted at the International Bookshop, it features fifty works that reinterpret the iconic character through a contemporary lens, bringing together 25 established illustrators and 25 emerging talents selected internationally.

The artworks were chosen through a contest organized by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, which received around 600 submissions. The exhibition, curated by Accademia Drosselmeier, is part of the official national celebrations dedicated to Collodi. A bilingual catalogue published by Giunti accompanies the exhibition, collecting the illustrations alongside critical contributions from the jury. Like many initiatives at the fair, the exhibition will continue beyond Bologna with an international tour.

The project is part of a broader program centered on Pinocchio, including a full day of events—the “Pinocchio Day”—featuring talks and discussions. A highlight is the special event with Alessandro Barbero, in conversation with Ivan Canu, reflecting on classic works of children’s literature, from Pinocchio to Cuore and the novels of Salgari.

Beyond the Fair: International Guests and Masters of Illustration

Completing this rich edition are the numbers and participants that underline its global scale: around 1,503 exhibitors from 90 countries and regions, including new entries such as Barbados, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.

A wide range of international guests further enriches the program, including Emma AdBåge, Albertine, Beatrice Alemagna, Pablo Amargo, Isabelle Arsenault, Anna and Elena Balbusso, Alessandro Barbero, Sophie Blackall, Gianrico Carofiglio, Catia Chien, Kitty Crowther, DJ Stout, Concita De Gregorio, Timothée de Fombelle, Armando Fonseca, Matthew Forsythe, Jon Gray, Stian Hole, Anna Llenas, Mari Kanstad Johnsen, Leonard Marcus, Roger Mello, Michael Rosen, Kristin Roskifte, Sergio Ruzzier, Felicita Sala, Sydney Smith, Øyvind Torseter, Hervé Tullet, and Jacqueline Woodson.

Alongside them, works by internationally renowned artists—including Peter Bailey, Justine Brax, Iacopo Bruno, Attilio Cassinelli, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Swarna Chitrakar, Carll Cneut, Vittoria Facchini, Sara Fanelli, Alberto Gamón, Philip Giordano, Robert Ingpen, Marcello Jori, Kęstutis Kasparavičius, Emanuele Luzzati, Lorenzo Mattotti, Chris McEwan, Mike Mignola, MinaLima, Gabriel Pacheco, Ferenc Pintér, Alessandro Sanna, Guido Scarabottolo, Chrudoš Valoušek, Tony Wolf, Wolfango, and Ed Young—highlight the richness of contemporary illustration.

In this blend of tradition and innovation, Bologna once again confirms itself as a unique meeting place—an international platform where cultures intersect and where the future of children’s publishing takes shape

For further information, it is recommended to consult the fair’s official website: Bologna Children's Book Fair, 13-16 Aprile 2026.